Pope Francis Views Vatican Nativity Depicting Jesus as a Palestinian

Last weekend, Pope Francis attended a controversial nativity exhibit in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall that depicted baby Jesus swathed in a Palestinian keffiyeh, an overt symbol of Palestinian nationalism. Created by Palestinian artists, the display was accompanied by remarks from Palestine Liberation Organization spokesperson Ramzi Khouri, who brought greetings from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and praised the pope for his “unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.”

This exhibit is part of a broader effort by Palestinian leaders and supporters to rewrite history and cast Jesus as a Palestinian. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared Jesus a “Palestinian messenger” in 2013, and in 2019, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) amplified similar rhetoric on social media.

• The Historical Truth Jesus was born to Jewish parents in Judea, lived as a Jew, and died as a Jew. During his lifetime, there was no state or concept of “Palestine.” The term “Syria Palaestina” was only applied to the region by the Romans in the second century, long after Jesus’ death, as part of an effort to suppress Jewish identity after widespread rebellions.

• Peter Wehner summed it up aptly, noting, “In the time of Jesus, Palestine didn’t exist as a place, an entity, a word, or a concept.”

The nativity exhibit is not the first time Francis has come under fire for statements and actions seen as hostile to Israel. Following Hamas’s barbaric October 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,200 civilians, the pope criticized Israel’s military response, calling it “immoral” and pushing for an investigation into alleged “genocide” in Gaza.

Additionally, his letter to Middle Eastern Catholics on the first anniversary of the massacre included a reference to John 8:44, a verse historically weaponized to vilify Jews. This choice drew backlash for perpetuating centuries-old Church hostility toward Judaism.

The attempt to co-opt Jesus as a figure of Palestinian nationalism is part of a broader strategy to delegitimize Jewish claims to Israel. By framing Jesus a Jew as Palestinian, revisionists aim to erase historical ties and bolster modern political narratives.

Such distortions are not only historically inaccurate but dangerously inflammatory. They risk further stoking tensions in an already volatile region and undermine efforts to promote mutual understanding and coexistence.

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